Miniature rotating rectifier assembly

Abstract

A modular rotating rectifier assembly for use with a brushless self-excited, liquid cooled, dynamo electric device such as a generator. The rotating rectifier assembly is positioned in a rotating hollow shaft of the generator and is coupled with a coolant circulating system for transferring heat from the rectifier assembly to the coolant flowing therethrough. The rotating rectifier assembly is positioned inside the shaft in close proximity to a central axis, longitudinally extending through the shaft, thereby minimizing the centrifugal forces induced on the diode components of the rotating rectifier assembly.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A rectifier assembly in combination with a brushless, self-excited, cooled, dynamo-electric device comprising: a main dynamo unit with a rotating DC field producing structure associated with a hollow shaft, said unit being energized by an exciter dynamo unit having a rotor associated with said hollow shaft and producing AC, said shaft having a central axis extending longitudinally therethrough;   means for circulating coolant associated with said dynamo-electric device;   said rectifier assembly rectifying AC to DC for providing current to said DC field, said rectifier assembly being positioned inside said hollow shaft along said central axis;   said rectifier assembly comprising: a housing, an entry port and an exit port formed in said housing, an internal portion of said housing defining a passage extending therethrough, said entry port and said exit port communicating with said passage, permitting coolant from said means for circulating coolant to flow through said housing;     an outside surface of said housing having at least one reduced diameter area, each of said reduced diameter areas an a corresponding inside surface of said hollow shaft defining a gap therebetween, each of said gaps permitting coolant to flow therethrough, said exit port communicating with a first end of at least one of said gaps for passing coolant from said passage in said housing therethrough, a second end of said gaps communicating with hollow shaft;   a fluid entry conduit for delivering a coolant to said dynamo electric device;   a transfer tube positioned in said hollow shaft, said transfer tube having an outside dimension being smaller than an inside dimension of said hollow shaft, a first end of said transfer tube communicating with said fluid entry conduit, a second end of said transfer tube communicating with said entry port of said housing;   a transport tube positioned in said hollow shaft, said transport tube having a first end, a second end and an outside dimension being smaller than an inside dimension of said hollow shaft, a first end of said transport tube communicating with said exit port of said housing;   a helical passage positioned between an inside surface of said hollow shaft and an outside surface of said transport tube, a first end of said helical passage communicating with said second end of said transport tube, a second end of said helical passage communicating with said gaps;   said gaps communicating with said hollow shaft;   a fluid removal conduit for removing fluid from said device, said fluid removal conduit communicating with said hollow shaft;   at least one diode retained in said housing being cooled by coolant flowing therethrough.   
     
     
       2. A rectifier assembly in combination with a brushless, self-excited, cooled, dynamo-electric device, said dynamo-electric device being of the type having a main dynamo unit with a rotating DC field producing structure associated wit a hollow shaft, said rectifier assembly being disposed in said hollow shaft said unit being energized by an exciter dynamo unit having a rotor associated with said hollow shaft and producing AC, said shaft having a central axis extending longitudinally therethrough, and means for circulating coolant operatively associated wit said dynamo-electric device; said rectifier assembly comprising:   a housing;   a diode assembly being retained in said housing and coupled with said dynamo-electric device for rectifying AC to DC to provide current to said DC field producing structure;   an entry port being formed through one end of said housing;   an exit port being formed through an end of said housing distal said entry port and communicating wit said means for circulating coolant;   a passage extending through said housing communicating with said entry port and said exit port, said means for circulating coolant communicating with said entry port for providing coolant to said housing to cool said diode assembly retained therein;   at least one reduced dimension surface being defined on an outside surface of said housing having a dimension which is less than an inside surface of said hollow shaft; and   a gap being defined between said reduced dimension surface and said inside surface of said hollow shaft, said gap communicating with said exit port and said means for circulating coolant for transporting coolant from inside said housing over the outside of said housing to further cool said diode assembly.   
     
     
       3. A rectifier assembly as recited in claim 2, further comprising: a transfer tube being disposed in said hollow shaft substantially coaxial with said hollow shaft,   said entry port communicating with said transfer tube, said gap communicating with said exit port and said hollow shaft for transporting coolant from inside said housing over the outside of said housing to said hollow shaft.   
     
     
       4. A rectifier assembly for use with a dynamo-electric device, said dynamo-electric device being of the type having a main dynamo unit having a hollow shaft disposed therein, said shaft having a central axis extending longitudinally therethrough; said rectifier assembly comprising:   a nonconductive housing;   a diode assembly being retained in said housing and coupled with said dynamo-electric device, diodes in said diode assembly being selected from a group consisting of axially oriented cased diodes, each of said diodes defining a corresponding minor axis. each of said minor axes being positioned parallel to said central axis;   a positive conductive bus of said diode assembly being positioned in and generally occupying one-half of a bus plane, said bus plane being substantially perpendicular to said central axis, at least one positive diode of said diodes being coupled to said positive conductive bus;   a negative conductive bus of said diode assembly positioned in and generally occupying one-half of said bus plane adjacent to said positive conductive bus, at least one negative diode of said diodes being coupled to said negative conductive bus; and   a nonconductive member positioned generally through a middle area of said bus plane between said positive and negative conductive busses for physically and electrically separating said positive and negative conductive busses.   
     
     
       5. A rectifier assembly as recited in claim 4, further comprising: said housing defining a diode portion and a receptacle portion, said receptacle portion being retained in said hollow shaft, said diode portion being matably couplable with said receptacle portion.   at least one positive connector of said diode assembly coupled to said positive bus and extending through said nonconductive housing;   at least one negative connector of said diode assembly coupled to said negative bus and extending through said nonconductive housing retained on said diode assembly;   a first end of each of said positive and negative connectors retaining a corresponding diode on a corresponding one of said negative or positive conductive busses;   a second end of said positive and negative connectors defining a male plug component, said male component being electrically conductive; and   a female plug component on said receptacle portion for receiving a corresponding one of said male components, said female component being electrically conductive and being coupled with said dynamo-electric device.   
     
     
       6. A rectifier assembly for use with a dynamo-electric device as recited in claim 4, further comprising: means for circulating coolant through said dynamo-electric device;   an entry port extending through one end of said housing and communicating with said means for circulating coolant;   an exit port extending through an end of said housing distal said entry port;   a passage extending through said housing communicating with said entry port and said exit port;   at least two reduced dimension surfaces being defined on an outside surface of said housing having a dimension which is less than an inside surface of said hollow shaft, said reduced dimension surfaces being generally equidistantly spaced apart on said outside surface of said housing; and   a gap being defined between each of said reduced dimension surfaces and said inside surface of said hollow shaft, said gap communicating with said exit port and said hollow shaft for transporting coolant from inside said housing over the outside of said housing to said hollow shaft to further cool said diode assembly, each of said gaps defining substantially equal volumes for balancing fluid flow and weight distribution of fluid flowing therethrough.   
     
     
       7. A rectifier assembly for use with a dynamo-electric device as recited in claim 6, further comprising: a multiplicity of apertures being formed through each of said positive and negative conductive busses, said apertures communicating with said passage for passing coolant through said positive and negative conductive busses.